Parshat Balak 5778
Parshat Balak The name of this week’s Torah portion is Balak. Balak is the name of the king of Moab who became petrified of the Jewish nation, after seeing how they decimated the two most powerful kings, Sichon the king…
Parshat Shlach
Parshas Shlach The last paragraph of this weeks Torah portion, contains the commandment to put tzitzit on any four-cornered garment that we wear. We fulfill this mitzvah by wearing a Talit when we pray shacharit the morning prayer, and by…
What’s not to love about avocado? Matos-Massei 5777
What’s not to love about avocado? Soft and velvety, with a thick rich texture and a flavor that’s a delightful cross of butter, nuts, and fresh earth, avocados are simply awesome. If you don’t believe me, ask the good people…
Why Can’t I Get Comfortable? Pinchas 5777
The history of the Jews in Budapest is a bit complicated and tortuous. Like many places in Europe, the Jews were alternatively invited or banished based on the mood and economic desires of the rulers of the time. In 1279,…
Iceland: Beautiful, Wild, and Remote… Chukat 5777
They say, “Iceland is covered in green, Greenland is covered in ice.” But I’ve never been one to trust “they,” I had to go see for myself. So when my 15th anniversary rolled around, and my wife and I needed a…
The World is Going Down the Drain, Fast…. Korach 5777
Nanny Sentenced To 17 Years In Prison For Toddler's Death! Missing 14-year-old girl’s body found in Texas landfill! Teens charged in carjacking of 3 elderly women! Trucker who hit, pushed man in wheelchair won't be charged! Local landscaper Drowns In…
The Silence was Deafening…Sh’lach 5777
I’ve been to some dark places. I’ve stood at the side of a crematoria in Auschwitz, and next to a mountain of ash and bone at Maidanek. I’ve been to Belzec, the notorious death camp, and to Theresienstadt, the quaint…
Oink, Oink! Nasso 5777
It’s a bit ironic, but if you’re a pig, your biggest fear is people’s desire to “pig out”. On your own you can survive on almost anything; scraps, garbage, or leftovers. You’re not a picky eater, you can easily live…
Let’s Talk Trash for a Minute… Matos-Masei 5776
Let’s talk trash for a moment. It’s one of the few things that American do exceptionally well. The world will throw out 2.6 trillion pounds of garbage this year (here’s a visual to help you grasp that: 2,600,000,000,000 pounds!), and…
I’m Going to Build a Wall… – Pinchas 5776
For ten years, one million men did nothing but eat, drink, sleep, and lay bricks. Brick after backbreaking brick, mile after backbreaking mile, the million-man workforce built a wall like the world had never seen before. Up mountains, along rivers,…